Health and science
Physicians associate
Working alongside registered doctors providing medical care as an integral part of a wider healthcare team.
Summary
Physician associates are healthcare professionals who work alongside registered doctors and provide medical care as an integral part of a wider healthcare team. They are dependent practitioners, which means that they must work with a dedicated medical supervisor, but are able to work autonomously with appropriate support. They can be found working in GP surgeries, accident and emergency departments, care homes and hospitals. Physician associates are medically trained to provide all aspects of health care to patients, including: consultation, assessment, treatment and management of their health care. They can take medical histories, perform physical examinations, request and interpret investigations, diagnose and manage patients, and perform an extensive range of specialised procedural skills within their scope of practice. Physician associates ability to practise medicine is enabled by collaboration and supportive working relationships with their medical supervisors, meaning that there is always a registered doctor who can discuss cases, give advice and attend to patients if necessary. In this way, physician associates increase the numbers of the medical workforce and increase access to quality care for patients. They act in an enabling role, helping to reduce the healthcare team’s workload, and bring new talent to the NHS, adding to the skill mix within the teams. Physician associates may work in specialist fields of medicine but always maintain their generalist knowledge and skills. They offer continuity and stability.
Typical job titles include
- Physician associate
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
The critical principles, methods and requirements of a patient centred and medically based assessment
K2:
The patient presentations specified in the Department of Health Matrix and Competency and Curriculum Framework (www.fparcp.co.uk)
K3:
How to structure and conduct evidence based consultations to obtain patient concerns, expectations and understanding
K4:
How to take a patient history and it’s practical application to complex interacting psychological, physiological and social factors
K5:
The range of evidence based examinations and assessments you are required to perform
K6:
How to draw on a diverse range of knowledge and critical thinking in your decision-making to determine an individual medical management plan
K7:
The criticality of clinical decision making processes in order to safeguard the delivery of high quality care
K8:
Critical analysis of complex findings from investigations and how to apply this specialised insight to deliver a high quality care outcome for the patient
K9:
How to assess and determine follow-up investigations using specialised investigation criteria
K10:
How to assess and determine the direction of patient management to address many interacting factors
K11:
The relevant national and local guidelines to apply to the formulation and delivery of a justifiable diagnosis
K12:
How, and when, to consult with your dedicated medical supervisor
K13:
The range of specialised procedural skills and clinical procedures that you are required to perform
K14:
The range of specialised therapeutic interventions relevant to your role
K15:
The therapeutic and prescription medications used in the clinical setting (within medical delegation clauses)
K16:
How to confidently and competently write prescriptions and apply British National Formulary (BNF) and local formularies
K17:
Your responsibility for patient concordance for the proposed drug regime as prescribed by the supervising clinician
K18:
How to critically evaluate and adapt patient management strategies/treatment in response to changing conditions
K19:
The development and implementation of management plans that takes into account complex interacting factors
K20:
Different theoretical and evidence based approaches to building and sustaining the clinician-patient relationship
K21:
Informed patient choice and negotiated care decisions
K22:
Specialised engagement and communication methods that support the clinician-patient relationship
K23:
How to enable the patient to assess options and make choices within the context of many interacting factors
K24:
The practical and conceptual delivery of patient education and health promotion relevant to the clinical condition and patient needs
K25:
The specialised assessment, observation techniques and medical judgement that are required across the patients’ life span
K26:
How to apply national and local guidelines, and legal requirements relevant to your area of practice (including challenging and reporting poor practice)
K27:
The guiding principles, evidence based practice and latest developments in the NHS (incl clinical governance) in relation to your area of practice
K28:
The boundaries of clinical competence for the role and when to escalate for senior medical assistance
K29:
Safeguarding and the management of risk
K30:
Your role, responsibility and motivation to manage your own learning; the range of tools and techniques that can be used to direct own learning, set goals and evaluate learning
K31:
The application of teaching and learning theories and models
K32:
How to evaluate and meet learning needs for health care
K33:
Legal and organisational requirements for record keeping and information governance
K34:
Your responsibility for producing clear, legible and contemporaneous records
K35:
Your responsibility towards fulfilling and maintaining Information governance policy
Technical Educational Products
- ST0518: Physician associate - integrated degree (Level 7) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0518
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £40,341 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 2259 Other health professionals n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 2259/99 Other health professionals n.e.c.
S1:
Interpret the findings from a patient centred consultation and assess the need for further investigation, patient management and referral
S2:
Formulate a diagnosis based on complex objective and subjective data
S3:
Apply specialised clinical decision making techniques to select a diagnosis based on the available insight
S4:
Critically evaluate and justify clinical decisions in cases with complex needs that involve many interacting factors
S5:
Consult with your dedicated medical supervisor to inform clinical decision making where required
S6:
Perform an extensive range of specialised procedural skills
S7:
Perform specialised clinical procedures using knowledge of the complex indications, contraindications, complications and techniques
S8:
Critically evaluate and assess changes in a patient’s condition and adapt patient management strategies/treatment within a timeframe suitable to the changing conditions
S9:
Determine and implement appropriate specialised therapeutic interventions and/or prescriptions using clinical decision making techniques and medical judgement
S10:
Formulate and implement a management plan with the patient, carers and healthcare professionals that takes into account complex interacting factors
S11:
Build and sustain a clinician-patient relationship to foster informed patient choice and negotiated care decisions
S12:
Communicate and engage effectively with all patients and carers regardless of age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, social class, disability etc
S13:
Actively involve patients and carers in their care and support them in managing their own health, wellbeing and illness
S14:
Provide health promotion and disease prevention advice to patients and carers
S15:
Design, implement and critically evaluate specialised assessment and observation techniques, and apply medical judgement across the patients’ life span
S16:
Escalate matters to a senior doctor when a clinical situation is outside the boundaries of clinical competence for the role
S17:
Manage the safety of patients, carers and other individuals through safeguarding and management of risk
S18:
Assess own learning needs and engage in self-directed learning to review and improve medical practice within the scope of the role
S19:
Work collaboratively to evaluate and meet the learning and development needs of other health professionals
S20:
Act as a role model and mentor
S21:
Produce clear, legible and contemporaneous records regarding patient consultations and all aspects of clinical and non-clinical work
S22:
Complete patient records and justify the management plan and outcomes of the clinical decision making process(es)
S23:
Adhere to all aspects of information governance requirements
S24:
Perform specialised medically based assessments to inform the development of an individual medical management plan
S25:
Design and deliver patient centred consultations which enable the patient and carers to express their concerns, expectations and understanding
S26:
Take, and critically evaluate, a patient history relevant to the clinical situation and apply this insight to assessing complex interacting psychological and social factors
S27:
Perform the full range of evidence based examinations and assessments tailored to the demands of the clinical situation
Technical Educational Products
- ST0518: Physician associate - integrated degree (Level 7) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0518
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £40,341 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 2259 Other health professionals n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 2259/99 Other health professionals n.e.c.
B1:
Consistently behave with integrity and sensitivity.
B2:
Behave as an ambassador for the role, acting professionally and behaving considerately towards other professionals and patients.
B3:
Recognise and work within the limits of your professional competence and scope of practice, and within the scope of practice of your supervising medical practitioner.
B4:
Maintain effective relationships with colleagues from other health and social care professions.
B5:
Inform patients, carers and others of the nature of your clinical role.
B6:
Contribute to the effectiveness of a clinical learning environment.
B7:
Maintain confidentiality at all times
Technical Educational Products
- ST0518: Physician associate - integrated degree (Level 7) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0518
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £40,341 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 2259 Other health professionals n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 2259/99 Other health professionals n.e.c.
